The government said on Thursday that the number of locally-infected dengue fever cases has risen to three, pointing out that the three patients are from the same building.

According to The Macau Post Daily, the government also said it did not exclude the possibility of dozens of locally-contracted dengue fever cases in the next few weeks.

A press conference about the three locally-infected dengue fever cases and the possibility of a further rise in the number of cases was held at the headquarters of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) in Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. The press conference was co-hosted by officials from a number of government entities.

On Monday, the Health Bureau (SSM) confirmed the first locally-infected dengue fever case this year. The bureau identified the victim as a 60-year-old local man living in Rua da Praia do Manduco.

Addressing the press conference, SSM Director Lei Chin Ion said his bureau confirmed the other two locally-infected dengue fever cases on Wednesday.

According to Lei, the second and the third victims are a couple – a 68-year-old man and his 58-year-old wife – working in a shop in the residential building where the first victim lives.

A total of five imported dengue fever cases have been recorded so far this year, according to Lei.

IACM President Jose Fonseca Tavares said that the last locally-infected dengue fever cases were recorded in 2014.

Lei said the last time that locally-infected dengue fever cases occurred in a densely-populated district at the end of July was in 2001.

Lei said that he did not exclude the possibility that dozens more cases of locally-infected dengue fever will be recorded in a few weeks from now, due to dengue’s incubation period.

The incubation period can last from three days to a fortnight.

Lei and Tavares pledged that the government will strengthen its mosquito prevention and control work across the city.